Thursday, February 19, 2009

Subscribers - Who Are You?

For some reason, I've recently seen a whole lot of new subscribers. I would think that it was errors in Feedburner's counting, except that for many of the subscribers are doing it through email and there has definitely been an increase.

I'm thankful, but I really don't quite know the cause.

And, most of the comments come from folks who I've known for a while - but with a few new folks coming in recently. Still, it's a small number as compared to subscribers.

So, if you are a new subscriber (within the past six months) can you this ONE TIME come and leave a comment with:

a. Where you found out about this blog?b. What you hope to get from subscribing?c. Are you ever going to leave another comment?

If you've subscribed for a while, feel free to also leave a comment. I'd still like to hear b&c.

79 comments:

tony-a. quite honestly i don't remember how i found your blog.b. i'm not, technically speaking, subscribing, i guess. yours is a blog i follow. i'm hoping to learn more about business and technology, in particular where the two bump up against one and another and/or intersect. i think learning these things will help me in my current job: teaching. c. yes, i'll be commenting.

I've commented once before in my six months, but I'll go ahead and answer.

a. I found your blog thru Clive Shepherd, which I originally found by typing e-learning and blog into Google. :)b. I'm subscribing because I'm very interested in hearing others' perspectives on e-learning and other web 2.0 technologies.c. Yes, I'll plan to keep commenting.

a. In Google, looking for information about Mobile Learning and E-learning 2.0. b. I work in a spanish institute of e-learning (www.iup.es), and look for ideas in your blog that I can use in my job.C. Maybe, if I lose my fear to write in English.

A. Can't recallB. I manage a learning and development group & we're building more eLearning for corporate customers -- want to stay abreast of current thinkingC. I probably won't be able to contain myself ;-)

My best guess as to how I found your blog would be through someone else's blog - Stephen, Cathy, Clive, Jay, Harold, etc. - but god only knows who!

I used to work full-time in the e-learning industry, but now only spend a very small percentage of my day on training projects. So, to keep on top of things and in touch with what is my true love (anything technology and learning related), I make a point of following those I consider the field's thought leaders. I even started my own blog with the primary objective of helping me process and organize the flood of information.

I've already commented on a couple of your posts, and I expect to continue until I say something really dumb and you decide to ban me to protect the rest of your readers!

a. Actually, I began to research the e-learning/ID industry last year as I was looking to transition in. I don't remember the exact circumstance, but I'm fairly certain I came across your blog because of Christy Tucker, Cathy Moore or Cammy Bean as they were the first bloggers in the field that I came across and had the opportunity to correspond with. They were very gracious in helping me to learn by the way :-).

b. I hope to continue learning. I am trying to absorb and practice as much as possible so that I can increase my own skills and marketability in the field as well as becoming as solid contributor.

Tony,Like others I'm not perfectly sure how I found your blog (although I think it may have been through the recommendation feature within Google Reader). Your name is certainly out there in a lot of different places where eLearning is discussed, and I'll keep coming back in order to stay current, but I probably won't be commenting.

I was probably looking at online learning resources when I found your blog. I'm very interested in how technology is changing education, especially language learning. I probably won't post again, and I have too many blog feeds to read every article, but I like having this blog in my google reader.

Hi Tony,I subscribed to your blog a few eLearning Guilds ago and I'm still enjoying (and learning from) your posts! I don't seem to be writing on my blog these days, but I follow my favorites through Bloglines. A colleague and I are hoping to start a teaching and learning blog at UC Berkeley. I'll let you know.

I feel like I'm usually learning from you when I read your posts and don't have too much to contribute, but if I did - I would comment. Cheers!

a. Not sure how I landed here. Linked in from somewhere.b. Trying to keep abreast of ideas and trends in elearning.c. I tend to be more of a lurker. I'm currently subscribed to over 150 feeds and now starting to get hooked into twitter. Not saying I won't, but in general I am an infrequent commenter.

a. might have been through a search or might have been via the Guild.b. i'm the lms and scorm guru here as we are working towards incorporating scorm standards into new development as well as previously developed courseware.c. i lurk a lot - but if a post hits me right i usually don't hesitate to comment.....

good blogs for eLearning subjects are hard to find - - your's is among those good ones!

Tony-a. I was at TK09 and heard you speak/attended your session.b. You intrigued me with the possibilities of social networking tools -- I even had the firewall opened up for me to experiment.c. I'm sure I'll be commenting in the future, just being a sponge and soaking it all up right now!

My name is Jason DeVincentis and I subscribed to this blog shortly after TK09 in Las Vegas.

a. I listened to your key note speech at TK2009 and spoke with you briefly at your afternoon session.b. I have been training for awhile, but relatively new to the e-learning world so I hope to absorb best practices, etc. to help me continue to learn.c. When I have something to contribute, I plan on leaving a comment. Also, you mentioned blogging about SharePoint in the workplace and my group has some experiences that I'm looking forward to sharing and hopefully finding ways to increase our use of its functionality.

Tonya. I think I ran across your blog a few months ago while researching for a course I teach about eLearning design at Rio Salado College. I think it was a google search, or maybe something from the Guild. I can't quite remember.b. I subscribe to yours and other blogs to keep up on current trends in the field. I particularly like the eLearning Learning resource that (I believe) you set up. I encourage my design students to subscribe as part of their on-going development.c. I may post from time to time, but not very frequently.

Found your blog after hearing you speak at ASTD ICE 2008. Don't remember if I've left a comment before here, but have via Twitter. I enjoy your take on where eLearning and technology and learning are going and what's going on right now. I'd be happy to comment in the future so you won't feel like your typing to no one.

I've had you in my Google reader for quite some time but only since TK09 have I been paying close attention. Wow, that sounded really bad. Explaining... I used to work in education, first as a teacher, then a tech coordinator, finally as a graduate level online course designer for a university in MD. As such, I paid more attention to blogs dealing exclusively with ed-tech issues, like David Warlick, Will Richardson, Vicky Davis and Kathy Schrock. Now that I've made a career move into HR (technical training) I'm changing my focus to more broadly scoped blogs. Yours and David Pogues are the only ones I've found to really catch my interest so far and I blame TK09 for that. :)

Do you know of any others that deal with organizational development, corporate learning, change management, etc.?

I have made a few comments so far, most recently about the design of the eLearning Learning site. I saw your response to me concerning Digg and TechMeme. I haven't had a chance to look at those but I will return comment when I do get time to make that investigation.

Anyhow, I look forward to following your work, thanks for taking the time to educate the rest of us.

Hi T;Like most, I don't know, but most of my rs feeds came via a google blog search or by following a link from another blog. Most likely the later.By the way, I have deleted your specific feed because you were coming through the elearninglearning.com compiled feed. I just hope they remain reliable.

a. I found your blog by Googling e-learning about 6 months ago. I started a new job working solely (rather than partially in my last role)in e-learning and made time to add a couple of e-learning blogs to my RSS.b. Although I work on e-learning in an educational context rather than a corporate one I find a lot of what you write about very interesting. Particularly the more conceptual issues. It's interesting to hear from other people working in the field. c. I might comment. I usually read your blog in my RSS and only come to the page if it's something where I want to read people's comments. I don't think I've had time to add a comment yet.

a. I found it through a search about elearning, portals and mlearning, as I recall.b. As a elearning proffesional i hope to gain insight, and get more involved in the community evolving around elearning around the world.c. Sure I will, if I have something to add that others could benefit from :)

a. I think I got to you via a link on C4LPT (Jane Hart's site), but I'm not completely sure.

b. I've very recently started work as an elearning developer, producing an employer-related Journalism course for a large UK University, so I want to see how 'corporate' elearning and 'educational' elearning (if there is such a distinction!) mix.

a. Hello Tony, I found your blog through google search. Our company provides consulting and professional services around various e-learning technologies for application simulation and performance support.

b. We are based in Germany and need to keep abreast of eLearning technologies and trends arround the world. I'm also originally from Los Angeles, and feel a bit closer to home reading your blog.

c. This is my very first blog comment, so you've helped break the ice.

a. Where you found out about this blog? Probably through goggling e-learning in general. Had to come with strategy for creating e-learning to help our customers with our software last year so did alot of research. Most blogs i now have on netvibes portal but a few i still keep coming to work e-mail as find meaningful distraction for few minutes when need it :->b. What you hope to get from subscribing? Usually lots of useful information, ideas and links and you don't disappoint !!c. Are you ever going to leave another comment? Should i ever feel i have something to contribute and the time will do indeed.

Tonya. I am a trainer in the Dept of the Premier in South Africa. It was at one of he eLearning meetings that one of the project managers encouraged us to join this site for very up to date info about eLearning. I can say without reservation, being new in the eLearning environment, I have learnt a lot and hope to gain more in the future.b. I hope to gain a lot from this site which I intend to use in my training course, and always to be abreast of other eLearning practitioner's experience.c. I yes I would like to comment in the future and hopefully be able to contribute to this site.

a) I found your blog (on tuesday)when i was googling for "eLearning best practices".

b) By subscribing i hope to gain more insight on the best practices for creating eLearning courses, as well as hints, tips, tricks, new technology etc. I'm a technical writer in IT involved in a group to streamline the process from course conception to end user roll outc) Probably ;)

a. Where you found out about this blog? I found you via a websearch previously and then via conversations with Michele Martin, Janet Clarey, Christine Martell & Cathy Moore at a conference. I am now using your 100 Questions to inspire my blog, as I hit a brick wall on inspirationb. What you hope to get from subscribing? As always information, info on trends and insight into the technologies and opinons on tools that I too discuss via my blog escpconsulting.wordpress.com c. Are you ever going to leave another comment? I recently realized that I lurk alot more than I post and I want to establish more of a brand to my blog, so I am making more of an effort to comment on posts.

I am pretty sure I've been subscribed longer than 6 months. I love the feeling that I am connected to education professionals. Since I write technical training (and must maintain an SME status to do that job well), that techie part of the job sometimes overshadows the educational side.Of course I will continue to comment -- once things slow down for me a bit. :)

A. I attended the Learning Management Symposium at DevLearn08. You spoke and mentioned your blog. I checked it out, liked it, and reference it frequently.

B. I'm subscribing because I'm relatively new to e-learning technology and this is one of the few places I can find non-technical, useful, and digestible information that I can put into action immediately.

C. Hmm... Commenting? I'm not sure how often I'll comment, but I do plan to comment.

Hi Tony, a. My boss kept sending us items he found on your blog and encouraged us to take a look.

b. As my training area begins to really move into eLearning and tries to technologically keep up with our internal customers I'm looking for quality sources to help me keep up to date, since there are only so many hours in the day.

B J Scone references your blog in his excellent article "Engaging Interactions for eLearning." I'd been aware of you through eLearning Guild, I think. I had come across your blog before but was prompted to subscribe this time.

I'm interested in gaming approaches in eLearning, currently freelance, writing scenarios and business simulations.

Can't remember how I found the blog, but I'm glad I did. I really enjoy reading it. Guess I follow your blog simply for knowledge building and keeping up with this ever-changing field. It's my passion. I love teaching...I love technology. I used to be a corporate training, but now working at a university (not as an prof). Started my masters in Computers & Applied Technology although I don't plan on teaching in K-12 education. Who know's where I'll end up or what I'll do, but I'm certain it will involve teaching and computers!

a. I can't remember exactly how I came across your blog, but I was no doubt doing some kind of eLearing related research.

b. In general I'm intersted in keeping abreast of eLearning trends, particularly web 2.0. We will be develoing a learning portal, so my current focus is identifying best pratices in portal design. I'm also looking at open-source webinar technology (if possible) or a webinar technology (not too expensive) that will integrate with an open sources lms.

I skimmed through the other comments and see there's a pattern. I too can't remember how I stumbled upon your blog. However, I have found your blog one of the more useful ones on e-learning, so I subscribed to it.

The reason I started searching on the web for more info on e-learning and 2.0 technologies is because I needed to present a webinar on top trends in e-learning.

b. What you hope to get from subscribing?

With your help, I hope to continue to stay informed on e-learning trends and technologies.

Tony,a. I got to hear you speak at TK09 in Las Vegas. There was some delay but I finally looked up your site.b. I'm a training manager and we currently use eLearning heavily but I am always looking for ways to more effectively use what we have and/or increase it.c. Not sure if I'll post again. I'm new to the blogging world...haven't made the full adaptation yet.

tonya. I searched something about elearning and found your blog.b. I came from Thailand and have stayed in El Cajon for 3 months. I want to get an idea for our elearning association in Thailand. I will go back and forth between El Cajon and Thailand.c. Yes, I will.Mark(Weera Riewpituk: in Thai)

Yes I am a new subscriber. I’ve being readying your posts for two weeks so far as I’ve being invited to your blog from my great teacher. I am getting advantage of what are you posting as well as updating & learning new technologies by readying what you & other experts are offering. Thanks to you all.Regards, ,,Latifa AlMansouri

Wow, Tony! This is quite a compliment to the art and success of your efforts and to blogging in general. The comments are good material for your next keynote. You are an inspiration to all of us wannabe eLearning bloggers. Keep up the good work.Jon

hi tony, i'm from Malaysiaa. found your blog by googling the term elearning in organization with statistics.b. i'm a lecturers, and like to read and readc. and i love to write and write, i often refers to your blog and some link that provided in your blog..

a) Google I think. Not sure what I was looking for at the time!b) I am a learning systems adviser at MMU, and I want to learn and keep up to date with elearning technology stuff.c) Hmm. That depends if I see articles that really interest me! I am generally not a frequent commenter.

Hi Tony,a. I came across your blog through the eMind site on linkedin. validates your view that social networking sites can work to foster knowledge I guess...

b. i follow your blog fairly regularly for the stuff i can learn.

c. sorry, i'm still not in a position to post on it since i dont know enough about the subject. i'm a fairly new entrant to the elearning world and still learning from your blog and a few others. will post soon as i have something worthwhile to contribute.

a. I found it by doing a search on Google for Web 2.0-related terms (blog, wiki, and so on).b. I subscribe because you write about topics that interest me. I'm an instructional designer and I want to leverage all the tools I can to ensure that I create engaging, effective, and innovative interventions. c. Yes, I'll probably comment again. :-)

a. Your blog is part of the "Education" package on Google readerb. Education is the field that I would like to end up in and a field that I think has a lot of issues. I can't form opinions without reading about it.c. If I feel strongly enough, I will.

- I find a lot of the stuff I read through other blogs, but I've been reading your stuff for a few months now. - I'm just a high school teacher from Montreal who is interested in staying on top of all the new stuff coming out. That and it's a great way to spice up your classroom when you think it's getting dull...- This is probably my first comment on you page...But not the last!

a. I dunno. I think I found it via an article about eLearning.b. I'm subscribing because 1) I think that the learning landscape is changing, 2) you are surely on the right track about how it is changing, and 3) I keep learning whenever I read your stuff!c. I will continue to comment even when I am late like this time because I was on an ILT teaching gig...

Hi Tony,I think I found you through a link from edublog.Yes I'm `subscribing'. I've made a promise to myself to spend an hour each morning, where practical, to educate myself on web 2.0 use and to think about how I can encourage others at work to adopt the technology for our students use. Your blog is a great lead in to many topics I want to explore.Yes I will be commenting further:-)

a) I'm not quite sure how I found your blog, I may have bumped into your profile on Twitter before I found my way here.

b) I study social sciences, and eLearning sparked my interest not too long ago. Your blog in particular continues to give me insight and ideas; at this point I am gathering as much useful information as I can.

c) I'm willing to leave more comments when I feel like I can contribute. Unfortunately time is also a factor - since English isn't my first language, articulating my thoughts can become quite time consuming!

I signed up for your blog after attending TK09 electronically. I think you were also listed as part of signing up on LinkedIn. Not sure about that. I am trying to educate myself on e-learning. My organization is in the process of purchasing an LMS and all that entails in a small government entity. I will lurk awhile--I'm the shadow at the corner until I feel comfortable with my knowledge level.

a. i got your information from elearninglearning.comb. I am following your posts for the last 3-4months. This gives me several new information regarding the new trends and technologies in the elearning field.c. Yes, i'll do it.

Also please post something on the emerging new elearning standards(it can be the updates on the existing standards like SCORM, IMS etc..)

Hi Tony, a. I googled a large sentence 'what sort of job can I get once Ive studied eLearning' and there was your website. b. I only have a Diploma in Information and Communication Technology and have not got a job. Im researching to see if I should study eLearning. Anything to get a good job. Im not an educator or teacher presently. I need to know that its worth it in NZ.c.bound to leave another comment, one of those spontaneous things.

About Me

Dr. Tony Karrer works as a part-time CTO for startups and midsize software companies - helping them get product out the door and turn around technology issues. He is considered one of the top technologists in eLearning and is known for working with numerous startups including being the original CTO for eHarmony for its first four years. Dr. Karrer taught Computer Science for eleven years. He has also worked on projects for many Fortune 500 companies including Credit
Suisse, Royal Bank of Canada, Citibank, Lexus, Microsoft, Nissan,
Universal, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Fidelity
Investments, Symbol Technologies and SHL Systemhouse. Dr. Karrer was
valedictorian at Loyola Marymount University, attended the University
of Southern California as a Tau Beta Pi fellow, one of the top 30
engineers in the nation, and received a M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer
Science. He is a frequent speaker at industry and academic events.